


Jumping to Conclusions

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Breaking up and making up (ish), Brief mentions of other main characters, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Lack of Communication, Light Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mild Language, Misunderstandings, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:27:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Merlin thinks he catches Arthur cheating on him, and acts accordingly. Arthur has an entire plan laid out that he now has to get back on track.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 67





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I still have no new ideas, so this is another old work that I’m going through and reworking to fit the Merlin fandom. More tags to follow as the story progresses.

Merlin hums quietly as he glides around the kitchen. The smell of coffee being freshly brewed mixes with the scent of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. 

“Ow, crap!" He curses quietly as bacon fat spits at him. He sticks his finger in his mouth to ease the pain. Seems childish, but he swore that it helped. Once the pan is safely covered again, he turns to pay attention to the pancakes behind him. He’s just flipping them when he hears the soft sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. He smiles to himself as they get closer.

"Merlin?" He spins around to face the surprised voice. 

“Hey, baby!" He grins at the bed-headed monster before him, whom he proudly called his boyfriend. "Surprise." He purrs, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck as he places a loving kiss on his lips. 

“Um, yeah, this is a surprise." Arthur forces a smile. Merlin steps back to take him in. 

“Is something wrong?" He asks. Arthur shifts uncomfortably as he scratches the back of his neck. 

“No! Of course not." Merlin frowns, but lets it slide. Arthur will be more open once he has eaten. 

Spinning around, Merlin fills two mugs with coffee, pouring in the correct amounts of cream and sugar, before placing them on the kitchen table. "Sit." He orders. "Food will be ready soon." Arthur gives him a grateful smile before sinking stiffly into the seat with his coffee. Merlin watches for a moment as he raises the mug to his lips, closing his eyes as he takes a cautious sip. 

With a smile, Merlin turns back around to the stove. Grabbing the plates he had already set out, he starts dishing out breakfast. Once all the stove top elements are turned off, he picks up both plates and take them to the table. 

“Thanks, Merls." Arthur says softly as Merlin places a full plate down on the table in front of him. 

“Anything for my baby." Merlin say with a wink as he sits down across from him. Arthur shoots him another forced smile before raising a forkful of scrambled eggs to his lips. 

Merlin looks down at his own food in confusion. He doesn’t get why Arthur is being so drawn in and closed off with him. "Arthur?" He says quietly. Arthur hums in reply. "Is there something you're not telling me? Cause I can tell that something is up, so don't bother denying it." He watches with growing dread as Arthur shifts stiffly in his seat. 

“No, nothing is wrong, Merls." He replies, but he can't quite look Merlin in the eye. 

“Then why are you acting like you don't want me here?" Merlin asks more forcefully. Arthur doesn't reply. Instead, he drops his eyes to the table.

A lingering silence fills the air before a haunting thought seeps into Merlin’s mind. "Oh my god." He whispers, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth as tears spring into his eyes. "You're... you're cheating on me, aren't you?" His voice trembles threateningly. Arthur’s head shoots up. 

“What? Of course I'm not. Why would you even say that?" He scoffs. 

“Because it's the only thing that makes sense!" Merlin chokes out, tears starting to slide down his pale cheeks. 

“I'm not cheating on you!" Arthur barks, but it's too late. Merlin is already on his feet. 

He hurries to the front door, scrambling to get his shoes on before Arthur can stop him. Tears blur his vision, making his efforts ten times more difficult. He mutters curses angrily under his breath. Standing up straight once his shoes are on, he comes face to face with Arthur. 

“Listen, Merlin, I'm not cheating on you. I love you!" Arthur reaches out to Merlin, but he jump backwards. 

“Don't touch me!" He seethes. Something breaks in Arthur’s eyes but Merlin doesn’t stop to worry about it. Instead, he wrenches the door open and rushes outside. "I hope you and your whore enjoy breakfast! Happy anniversary, you ass!" He yells at Arthur before getting in his car and driving away. 

~~~

Merlin chokes out a sob as he ignores another of Arthur’s calls. He must have tried phoning a hundred times by now, and texted even more. As his phone screen lights up with Arthur’s name again, he lets out an angry, strangled cry and throws his phone forcefully across his bedroom. The sound immediately cuts off. Good. He relishes in the silence, too pleased with his problem solving skills to mourn the loss of his phone. It was a piece of crap that needed replacing anyway. 

He groans in frustration as his home phone starts ringing. Why his mother insisted he get one, he still had no clue. He gets to his feet and marches over to read the caller I.D.  _Morgana_. He swiftly answers with a yell, "If this is Arthur then go die!"

_“What the hell is wrong with you?!"_ Is the reply he gets. Nope, not Arthur. This is definitely his younger, yet extremely overprotective, sister. 

"What's wrong with me?" Merlin asks incredulously. "Ask him!" He hears a frustrated sigh over the line and he can easily picture Morgana pinching the bridge of her nose with a scowl painted over her sharp, intuitive features. 

_ "I have. He's sitting here shaking. He showed up half an hour ago, a complete mess. Can't get a word out of him. So, once again, what did you do? You're the only one who can effect him like this!"  _

Merlin lets out a mirthless laugh. "Well, tell him it's his own fault." He hisses through gritted teeth, hanging up before Morgana can answer. The phone immediately starts ringing in his hand, so he goes over and unplugs it. The screen darkens mid-ring, once again leaving him in the quiet stillness of his home. He relishes in the silence for a short moment before his thoughts become too loud. He decides that he needs some music.

He scrolls through his songs on his old iPod, finally settling on  _ Mr. Brightside _ . Nice and cliche. Plugging in his iPod, he turns on the sound system and immediately cranks the volume as high as the speakers will go before blowing out. He jumps around the living room, screaming the lyrics as loud as he can. Anything to drown out the sound of his heart currently breaking. Merlin wonders what  _ he  _ looks like. What  _ he _ has that he, himself, didn’t. What made Arthur choose  _ him _ over himself. As his thoughts start to grow louder, Merlin stops and digs his fingers into his hair. 

Pulling harshly, he yells, "Get out!!" Merlin crumples to the floor, landing in a heap as the first bitter, desperate cry rips itself out of his lungs.  _ 'Why wasn't I good enough?' _

Merlin stays there on the floor, crying hysterically. He loved Arthur. He loved him more than anything, so why? What had he done? Naturally, he looks back at the past four years they’ve been together. Merlin knows that he can be clingy, and needy, and a bit of a diva at times, but Arthur always assured him that he didn't mind. It was part of why Arthur loved him. Had he been lying to Merlin the whole time? Had he actually been pushing Arthur away the entire time that they were together? 

“Stop, stop, stop!!" He yells, curling into a ball as his eyes burn from all the tears. "Please." He chokes out quietly. He barely forms  ‘please' around another sob. But it doesn't work. 

Merlin lays there for a few more minutes before slowly getting to his feet and unplugging his iPod. He knew how to numb his mind. At least for a little while. Storing his iPod safely in his pocket, he heads back to the front door. Once again, he slips his shoes on. 

Unlocking the door, he slips outside, making sure to lock the door again before taking the few steps down to the walkway leading down to the sidewalk. He briefly debates on taking his car but decides against it. Some fresh air might do him good. With his decision final, he shoves his hands in his pockets and starts down the sidewalk with his shoulders slumped forward in defeat. He keeps his eyes down on the concrete ahead of him, not wanting to interact with anyone at the moment. 

He makes sure to avoid all the usual places that he and Arthur used to go. Those'll be the first places that Morgana, and probably Lance and Leon too, will look for him. And he  _ definitely  _ doesn’t want to run into any of them either. Spotting a rather sleazy pub up ahead, he makes a bee line for the front door.

The lingering scent of cigarette smoke assaults his nostrils as soon as he pulls the heavy wooden door open. A few older men are scattered throughout the place, none of whom even glance up at his entrance.  _ ‘Guess we're all here for the same reason.’  _ He thinks morosely.

Merlin slides gingerly onto a slightly stained bar stool. The man behind the counter stops wiping the counter and approaches. "What's your pain?" He asks. 

“I just got cheated on." Merlin replies quietly. The man nods before turning and pouring a drink. 

“First one is on the house." He says gruffly as he sets the glass down in front of him. Eyeing the glass skeptically, Merlin thanks the man. Nodding, he goes back to scrubbing the seemingly already spotless counter top. Merlin reaches a trembling hand out and grabs the glass of amber liquid. The ice cubes clank against the sides as he lift it to his lips. His eyes water as he takes a sip, but he manages to swallow it down, feeling it burn all the way down his throat before settling hotly in his stomach. The bartender eyes him with an amused gleam in his eye, making him clutch the glass tighter. 

With determination, Merlin takes a large gulp, squeezing his eyes shut. He has no idea what he’s drinking, but he has the distinct feeling that it'll easily do the job he wants it to. With that in mind, he tilts his head back and swallows down the rest, gagging and coughing slightly as he forcefully puts the glass down on the counter top. 

“Another?" The bartender asks. Merlin nod with watery eyes. The man grabs the glass, taking it with him as he goes to fetch the bottles he used for the mystery drink. Turning his back, he fills the glass again, filling Merlin with slight apprehension. He doesn’t feel drugged though, so he supposes that he should be okay. Besides, the other guys scattered throughout the room seem to be okay. 

"That’ll be seven." The man says as he sets the glass down in front of Merlin. Fishing his wallet out, Merlin remove his credit card and slaps it onto the counter. 

“Start a tab." He replies, curling his hand around the glass and lifting it to his lips again. The bartender nods, but leaves the card where it is. Merlin leaves it too. Instead, he knocks back half the glass, letting it settle in his stomach before drinking down the rest too. Another appears in front of him, and he shoots the man an appreciative smile as he places his empty glass in the man’s awaiting outstretched hand. 

“Thanks." Merlin mumbles. The man nods and disappears again. Wrapping both hands around the glass, Merlin glares down at the alcohol.  _ 'Screw Arthur for doing this to me.'  _ He thinks bitterly.

He drinks this one slowly, letting it sit on his tongue for a second or two before swallowing it down. Yet another is waiting for him when he finally places the empty glass on the counter. 

“Must have been some girl to do this to you." The bartender comments as Merlin once again knocks back his fourth glass in only a few gulps. Merlin nods, not bothering to correct him. "What was she like?" 

Merlin smiles sadly. "Perfect. The most beautiful ocean blue eyes. Golden hair that always looks artfully messy. Soft, practically glowing skin." He stops and glances up at the other man. The man nods and slides another glass his way. 

“Sounds pretty amazing." He agrees, nodding a little bit. "Actually sounds a lot like him." He nods his head toward the door. 

Turning his head, Merlin looks at the door. His foggy brain processes the fact that someone is standing in the doorway. The man wasn't lying. This guy  _ does  _ look a lot like Arthur. Mystery Man starts to cautiously make their way towards him, but Merlin’s alcohol infused brain makes him turn back to his drink in front of him, taking another large gulp. 

As the man nears, Merlin catches a whiff of his cologne.  _ 'Hmm... he even  _ smells _ like Arthur.' _ With a shrug, he finishes his drink, disappointed that there isn't another waiting for him. When he looks up to find out why, the Arthur look-alike is talking to the bar man. He hands him his credit card and the man nods. As he goes to the cash register at the far end of the bar, "Arthur" turns to look at Merlin. Their eyes meet and Merlin feels heat flash through him. Before he can really focus, however, the bar man returns and hands "Arthur" his card back along with a receipt. They exchange a few more words before strong hands grip Merlin’s arm and pull him from his seat. Merlin complains bitterly but allows himself to be pulled outside. 

_‘What the hell was I drinking?'_ He idly wonders.

"Merlin." Merlin jumps at his name. He jumps at that  _ voice _ . Swinging his head around, his eyes widen. 

“What the hell?" He hisses, screwing his eyes shut, but Arthur is definitely still there when he reopens them. "Where did you come from?" He asks, looking around for the man that hauled him out of the bar. 

“Merlin!" Arthur repeats, making Merlin look back at him. 

_‘When did I become_ this _ much of a lightweight?'  _ Merlin thinks as his vision swims. 

“Let's get you home." Arthur murmurs, reaching out to take Merlin’s arm, but Merlin pulls it away from his grasp. 

“I'm not going anywhere with you." He slurs. Arthur meets his eyes sadly. 

“I told you, I'm not cheating on you. I want to explain everything to you, but I want to do so when you're sober enough to remember everything I say." Merlin glowers at him. 

"Screw you, Arthur!" He screams into the darkness. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say. I don't want anything to do with you. You've been lying to me for the past four years, you prat, so leave me alone!" He spins around to walk away and promptly ends up on the hard sidewalk, vaguely wondering what the hell just happened. He feels arms wrap around him, helping him back to his feet. 

“Merlin, I never once lied to you. I don't even know what it is you think I've lied about. Please, just, come home with me. I don't want you out here by yourself." Merlin glares at Arthur, but even in his drunken state he has to agree that he doesn’t really want to be out here alone right now. Arthur lets out a relieved sigh when Merlin finally nods and allows himself to be lead toward the car parked just up the road. As they walk, Arthur pulls out his phone and speed dials someone. "Hey. Yeah, I've got him. I'm taking him home now. Thanks for your help. Bye."

Arthur opens the passenger side door for him when they reach his car. He tries to help him in but Merlin swats his hands away. Merlin can hear him sigh as he practically falls in, smacking his face on the head rest on the way down. Once he squirms around and situates myself properly, Arthur closes the door and walks around to the driver’s side. Merlin ignores Arthur’s eyes on him as he climbs in. 

“Merl-" He starts but Merlin cuts him off with a wave of his hand. 

“Save it, Arthur. I don't care and I don't want to hear it. Just take me home." He sees Arthur nod from the corner of his eye before turning the key in the ignition. The engine roars to life, and he signals before pulling out into the road and starting the drive to Merlin’s place. 

The radio softly plays a classical station, filling the tense silence in the car. Merlin’s head swims and somersaults as he watches the lights fly by outside the window. 

“Ugh." He groans, reaching up to clutch at his head. 

“You okay?" Arthur asks worriedly. "Are you gonna be sick?" He continues. 

“God," Merlin mumbles, "just shut up." Arthur glares at him, but does as he’s told and clamps his mouth shut. Merlin keeps his eyes closed tight as they continue to speed down the road. The thought of his nice warm bed sounds absolutely amazing right now. The car slows down before turning a corner and his stomach clenches threateningly. Thankfully, Arthur pulls up alongside the sidewalk right in front of Merlin’s house, allowing him to tumble out and promptly puke all over the cement. 

"Damn." Arthur rushes to his side to help but Merlin holds up a hand and pushes him away. 

“Don't touch me." He wheezes pathetically. Arthur frowns, but backs off as Merlin wipes his mouth on the sleeve of his hoodie, slowly getting back to his feet. He giggles stupidly when his brain finally catches up with the fact that he’s wearing one of Arthur’s old hoodies that his boyfriend had left at his house. By the look on Arthur’s face, he's already aware of this fact. 

“Come on, lets get inside." Merlins rolls his eyes but obediently follows Arthur up to the front door, where he pulls out his spare key and unlocks the door. He holds it open and gestures for Merlin to go in. Merlin glowers at him, purposely shoving him aside as he passes. Arthur grunts, making Merlin shoot him a wicked grin. 

“Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there." He sneers.

“Whatever." Arthur grumbles, closing and locking the door behind him. "Go sleep this off. I'll stay on the sofa." Merlin watches him disappear into the living room before letting out a frustrated, angry huff and turning toward the stairs. 

“Prat." He grumbles under his breath.


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin is greeted, rather unpleasantly, by a splitting headache the next morning. Groaning pitifully, he rolls over onto his stomach and buries his face in the pillow. The movement makes the contents of his stomach roll queasily. He groans again. He lays there for a few minutes before turning his head to the side to check the time on his bedside alarm clock.  _12:05_ . Next to his alarm clock is a glass full of water and two Advil. Merlin stares stupidly at it for a moment. He didn’t usually plan ahead like that when he was drunk.  _'Huh, go me.'_ He thinks.

After a few more minutes, he finally throws the covers off and rolls out of bed. Taking the two small pills, Merlin tosses them in his mouth and swallows them down with the water. Once the glass is drained, he sets it back down on the nightstand. He’ll deal with it later.

He is still in his clothes from yesterday, but he doesn’t really care. There's no one here to impress. He stumbles his way to the bathroom down the hall, avoiding looking in the mirror as he enters. He already knows that he looks awful, he doesn’t need the mirror telling him just how bad.

Merlin can't, however, avoid his reflection once he’s done his business and starts washing his hands. Dark circles run under both eyes, making his already pale skin look even worse. His hair looks vaguely like he may have decided to shove his finger in an electrical socket at some point. To top it all off, his eyes look slightly bloodshot.

“Dear lord." He mumbles as he dries his hands and quickly escapes back to the safety of his room.

Merlin grabs the empty water glass off his nightstand and turns to leave when something else catches his eye. His credit card is sitting there, held down by the busted remains of his phone. He must've been so focused on the pain killers and peeing that he hadn’t noticed them earlier. Now  _ that _ is definitely something he  _ wouldn't  _ do when he was drunk. Glancing around the room, he checks for other oddities, but everything else seems to be in order. Turning away with a shrug, he decides that more water is more of a priority at the moment.

Slowly, he makes his way to the stairs, gripping the railing tight as he makes his way down. His stomach lurches as he stumbles on a step halfway down, but he manages to both keep his balance  _ and _ not throw up all over the expensive hard wood flooring. He sighs in relief once he reaches the bottom, turning in the direction of the kitchen.

The faint scent of coffee lingers in the air, bringing up even more questions. Today is Sunday, and Merlin never sets his coffee maker to automatically brew on Sunday mornings, knowing that he generally likes to sleep in quite late. Peeking in the doorway, he looks at the counter, and sure enough, there's half a pot there.

“What the hell?" He mutters, slowly taking a step inside.

"Well, you look like crap." A voice says from the direction of his kitchen table. With a shriek and a jump, the glass in his hand slips to the linoleum and shatters. Whirling around to face the voice, he spots a very tired looking Arthur sipping on a mug of what he presumes is coffee.

“Bloody hell, Arthur!" Merlin yells, glaring down at the glass shards scattered around his feet. Picking his way around them, he makes his way to the cupboard across the room where he keeps his broom. "Why are you even here? I don't want you here." He spits as he returns to the mess, broom and dust pan in hand.

“I saved you from a sketchy looking pub last night, and stayed here to make sure you didn't vomit in your sleep and die." Arthur bites back. That explains why he looks exhausted. Also explains the water and Advil waiting for him when he woke up.

"Doesn't change the fact that I don't want you here." Merlin grumbles as he sweeps up all the glass pieces he can find.

“Cut the crap, Merlin!" Arthur snaps. Merlin glares at him as he stands back up and walks over to the garbage can, depositing the mess inside.

“Right," Merlin says, turning around, "cause  _ I'm  _ full of crap." Turning, he takes his broom back to the cupboard. When he turns back, Arthur is on his feet facing him, hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“I'm only going to say this one more time. _I. Did. Not. Cheat. On. You._ " Arthur practically growls. Merlin snorts and looks away from him, crossing his arms over my chest. "I never have, and I never plan to."

Merlin rolls his eyes and makes his way across the kitchen, intent on pouring himself a cup of coffee. However, he doesn’t make it that far. He looks down at Arthur’s hand on his arm, immediately tensing up. "Merlin," Arthur whispers, "please."

Merlin looks from Arthur’s hand up to his face, involuntarily softening when he sees the unshed tears in his boyfriend’s eyes. "I can't live without you, Merlin. Please don't do this."

The pain from yesterday comes flooding back, tears of Merlin’s own prickling hotly behind his eyes. He looks away, determined not to be swayed by tears. Probably fake ones at that.

“Well, maybe you should've thought of that." He chokes out, pulling his arm from Arthur’s grip. Turning his back on him resolutely, Merlin can still hear him sob loudly, hear him stumble backwards before landing forcefully in the chair he was previously sitting in. 

“I don't know how to make you believe me!" He cries. Merlin keeps his back turned, tears running endlessly down his cheeks. As Arthur sobs again, Merlin squeezes his eyes shut. "You're my whole world, Merlin! I would  _ never _ do anything to jeopardize that! Why don't you see that?!" Merlin shakes his head, refusing to look at him.

“It is true. I didn't want you at my place yesterday." Arthur continues, and Merlin thinks that what's left of his heart launches itself into his throat. "But not for the reason you think. God,  _ never _ for that reason." Arthur rambles on.

Spinning around, Merlin fixes his eyes on his boyfriend’s trembling body. "Then _why?!_ " He yells. "Why else would you  _ not _ want me there on our  _ anniversary _ ?"

Arthur meets his gaze unflinchingly. "Because I was going to ask you to-" He clamps his mouth shut, more tears slipping from his eyes. Merlin’s heart beats erratically against his ribcage. Arthur takes a deep breath and drops his eyes to the floor.

“I was going to ask you to move in with me. Like, officially. I know you're technically locked into the lease here, or whatever, but I have enough money to cover whatever it costs to break that contract." He says quietly. "I've been saving up for months," he continues, "and I had a whole special surprise planned out and I didn't want to ruin it. I wanted it all to be perfect because you deserve nothing less."

Merlin is speechless as he stares at him. He’s known Arthur long enough to know when he's lying. And right now, he thinks that Arthur is telling the truth. Fresh tears spring into his eyes as he sinks to the floor, and this time he doesn’t try to fight them. Arthur drops down beside him as he starts crying hysterically. At this point, he can't tell if he’s still upset, or happy, or both. Mainly, he’s just relieved. Relieved that the love of his life didn't cheat on him. He didn't find someone else that he liked better.

Arthur shushes him as he runs his fingers gently through Merlin’s hair. Merlin clutches onto the front of Arthur’s t-shirt, just needing something to ground him. Something to let him know that he's actually here and this is all actually happening.

"So, what do you say?" Arthur questions softly, voice muffled against Merlin’s hair. Merlin nods desperately, still not able to talk yet. Arthur tightens his arms around him, pulling him somehow closer into his chest, and Merlin has never felt so safe.

“God, Merlin," he breathes, "I love you so much. I've never been more terrified as I did thinking that I'd lost you." Guilt wells up in Merlin’s stomach, meshing uneasily with the already queasy effects from his alcohol incident last night.

“Oh god." He groans, before trying to wriggle out of Arthur’s grasp.

“What?" Arthur asks, concern evident in just the one word.

“I think I'm gonna-" But Merlin doesn’t get to finish. Whatever was left over in his stomach burns as it makes it way back up his throat, into his mouth, and then onto the floor and Arthur’s lap.

Fresh tears well up in his eyes as Arthur groans. "I'm so sorry." He whimpers, reaching up and pulling on his hair.

“It's fine." Arthur sighs. He stands up, pulling Merlin up with him. "Come on. I'll get a hot shower started for you then I'll clean this up." Merlin nods pitifully. "I'll also put on a load of laundry." He says, pulling lightly on the sleeve of the hoodie Merlin is wearing. Merlin only just now notices the dried vomit on the sleeve.

“Oh god," he groans again, "what even happened last night?"

Arthur takes his hand in his, tangling their fingers together. “Don't worry about it. It's in the past."

Arthur leads Merlin upstairs, leaving him in his room to pick out clean clothes as he goes back to the bathroom to start the water. When Merlin enters, the room is humid and steamy, just how he likes it. Arthur is nowhere to be seen, so Merlin assumes he's gone back downstairs to clean up. He groans again before stripping his clothes off and stepping under the stream of blissfully hot water.

Merlin barely suppress a moan as he lets the water cascade down onto his greasy hair before continuing down his shoulders and back. He enjoys the warmth for a few more minutes before squeezing shampoo into his hands and lathering it into his locks of raven hair.  _ 'Maybe I should get coloured streaks in it. I wonder if Arthur would like that.' _ He thinks as he massages his scalp with his fingertips.

Once he feels clean enough, he turns the taps off and steps out, grabbing his towel to try and at least get his hair not  _ dripping _ wet. Slowly, he gets dressed into his new clothes, gathering the old into a pile that he holds in his left arm as he opens the door.

“I'll take those." Arthur says, making Merlin jump. Before he can even answer, Arthur whisks the clothes away from him and disappears down the stairs. Merlin stares, dumbfounded, after him. He accuses his boyfriend of cheating on him, basically almost breaks up with him, and here he is waiting hand and foot on him. This thought brings a whole new wave of tears to hit him. Biting his lip painfully, he stays where he is, listening as the washer turns on. The sound of approaching footsteps warns him that Arthur is returning, but he can’t help the few tears that fall anyway.

"Hey, stop that." Arthur soothes as he appears at the top of the stairs. Merlin shakes his head, trying to swallow the tears back but it doesn't help. Arthur pulls him into his arms again, letting him nestle his head into the crook of his neck. "No more crying, Merls. It's okay. Everything is okay."

Merlin shakes his head again, as best he can. Pulling back, Arthur takes his face in both hands, cupping his cheeks gently. "Merlin, it's okay. I'm not mad at you. We're okay." A sob slips out past Merlin’s lips as a few more tears slip past his defences. "Oh, Merls." Arthur murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to his lips before pulling him back into a tight hug. “It was just a misunderstanding, but it's okay now. Soon you're going to move in with me and everything will be perfect. I promise."

Merlin takes a shaky, steadying breath and pulls back. "Okay. I trust you. I'm sorry." He looks down, ashamed, but Arthur just scoffs.

“Nothing to worry about, Merls. I love you, and still have you, and that's all that matters." Merlin gives him a watery smile.

“I love you too." He replies, leaning in to give Arthur a quick kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

After a bland lunch of buttered toast, Merlin suggests that they start packing up his stuff right away. Arthur, however, shakes his head. "You're going to be breaking your contract with your landlord either way. Right now I just want to hold my beautiful boyfriend." Merlin’s cheeks flush pink at his words. Both because Arthur is so sweet it's gonna kill him, and also because there's still a lot of shame and embarrassment surrounding the fact that just this morning he was ready to break things off and never see Arthur again.

“Merls," Arthur interrupts his thoughts, "I know that look. You're too far into your head, and I want you to stop." Merlin offers him a weak smile, one Arthur easily makes more genuine by pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Come on," he murmurs, "let's just watch a movie and cuddle." Merlin finally agrees and follows him into the living room.

Merlin’s cheeks flush red again as he takes in the evidence that Arthur slept on the couch last night. He opens his mouth to apologize, but Arthur shakes his head. "Don't say anything. I didn't spend too much time here anyway. Most of the night I was sitting on the far side of your bed making sure you were okay. I don't know what that guy was giving you but I'm betting it was probably, like, half alcohol percent."

Arthur turns to survey Merlin’s DVD collection, leaving him to pull at his sleeves. All Arthur’s words did was make him feel even worse.

“I'm so sorry, Arthur." He rushes out before Arthur can stop him again. Sighing lightly, Arthur turns back to him and shakes his head as a small smile curls his lips.

“Stop apologizing, Merlin. Like I said, everything is fine." Merlin grips his left elbow with his right hand, dropping his eyes to the small, abstract rug covering the part of the hardwood that the coffee table sits on.

Suddenly, Arthur’s body blocks his view, making him look up into his eyes. "I love you, Merlin." He whispers, reaching up to brush a stray lock of still damp hair away from his forehead. "And I don't care about yesterday. I only care about today, and the man standing right in front of me. We've wasted enough time, and enough breath, with explanations and apologies. Let's put the past where it belongs and focus on what we have right here and now. You and me, the way we should be."

Merlin nods silently, lost in Arthur’s voice and his words. His eyes sparkle as Merlin smiles softly.

“Okay." Merlin breathes.

“Okay." Arthur smiles.

Taking him by the hand, Arthur leads Merlin over to the couch. "Now, let's watch some telly." He grins as he takes the remote off of the coffee table and turns the TV and DVD player on. Merlin doesn’t bother asking what he has picked out. Instead, he simply curls up into his side, feeling a contented warmth take over his body as Arthur wraps his arm around him. Before his curiosity gets to be too much, the menu screen for  _ The Nightmare Before Christmas  _ appears on the screen. Merlin hum in approval.

“Good choice." Merlin murmurs. Arthur doesn't say anything, just starts to run his hand soothingly up and down Merlin’s arm. After pressing play, he sets the remote back down where he got it from, bringing his now free hand down to start playing with Merlin’s hair.

Merlin settles in as the movie starts, but soon finds his attention straying more towards the feel of Arthur’s muscles flexing against him as he continually moves his arm.

“Arthur," he playfully scolds, "you're making movie watching very hard."

Arthur chuckles, stilling both hands. "And why is that?" He asks through a bright grin.

“Because your porn star quality muscles are very distracting." Merlin grumbles. Arthur outright laughs at that.

“Maybe that was the whole point." He says calmly, but Merlin’s body is thrumming with electricity.

“Oh was it?" He growls, pushing himself up enough to face him. Arthur’s eyes darken even more as he takes in Merlin’s face.

“Maybe." He breathes, moving the hand he has in Merlin’s hair to the side of his face. Merlin grins at him for a split second before leaning up and harshly connecting their lips. He listens with satisfaction as Arthur’s breathing hitches at the contact. His arm tightens around Merlin’s waist, but Merlin doesn’t let him pull him closer. He wants him to beg and work for it.

Arthur pulls back, panting, and grins wickedly at his boyfriend. "I love it when you play hard to get." He breathes, before sealing their lips together again in a heated kiss. Merlin can't help the small moan that vibrates up his throat as Arthur’s hand moves down to his ass, kneading softly. He melts completely as Arthur tugs his hair, slipping his tongue past his pliant lips. Merlin moans unashamedly into Arthur’s mouth as their tongues meet, hot and battling for dominance.

Shifting his weight, Merlin slowly sits up, displacing Arthur’s hand as he swings his leg over to straddle Arthur’s lap. He curls his arms around his neck, pressing his quickly forming erection against his boyfriend’s as Arthur wraps his arms securely around Merlin’s waist. Arthur groans, the sound vibrating against Merlin’s chest as he grinds himself down onto Arthur’s lap.

“ _Merlin_." Arthur breathes, their lips disconnecting with a wet pop. It's Merlin’s turn to grin wickedly down at him.

“You love it when I'm ready and willing more." He purrs. Leaning down, he presses his lips against Arthur’s ear. "Don't you?"

Arthur’s breathing hitches again as he gulps. Merlin chuckles as he presses a kiss to the skin just below Arthur’s ear, slowly working his way down to the middle of his throat where he nips at the skin. His boyfriend whines, thrusting his hips up, desperate for any kind of friction. Merlin gives him what he wants, grinding down against him as he bites down on his neck hard enough to leave a mark. Lust swirls in him as Arthur gasps softly in his ear.

Pulling away, Merlin meets Arthur’s dark eyes. "I love you, Arthur Pendragon." Arthur whimpers and nods, closing his eyes tight shut as Merlin rubs his ass back and forth on his thighs. Leaning down, Merlin presses another open mouthed kiss to his lips. Arthur’s grip on his hips tightens, making him groan into his mouth again. He bites down on Merlin’s lower lip before sucking it into his mouth, soothing it with his tongue. Letting it go, he slips his tongue back into Merlin’s mouth, pulling his hips forward until they’re entirely flush against each other. Merlin can feel Arthur’s erratic heart beat through his t-shirt.

This time it’s Arthur who pulls away. "You know," he pants, "they say make up sex is the best kind." Merlin groans, letting his head fall forward onto his boyfriend’s shoulder. "But we probably shouldn't find out in the middle of the living room with the most windows that I've ever seen." Merlin snorts out a laugh against Arthur’s neck as he chuckles.

Sitting back, Merlin brushes his tangled hair back. "Yeah, probably not." He giggles. Arthur smiles back lovingly, bringing both hands up to cup Merlin’s cheeks.

“I love you." He murmurs, making Merlin’s heart flutter.

“I love you, too." Merlin replies, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to Arthur’s lips. As Arthur sits back, Merlin slides off his lap, snuggling back into his side instead. Once again Arthur wraps his arm around him as he presses a kiss to the top of Merlin’s head. Merlin can't help the soft smile that basically splits his face in two.

~~~

It's nice, just sitting and cuddling with his boyfriend after everything that's happened. Admittedly, it was all Merlin’s fault and he  _ still _ feels bad about it, but there's nothing he can do to change what happened. As the movie comes to an end, Merlin can hear the first faint snore coming from Arthur’s slightly parted lips. He grins sweetly at his boyfriend’s sleeping face, deciding to make him some dinner. It's the least he can do after the hell he’s put him thought these past few hours.

As slowly and carefully as he can, Merlin slips off the couch and out of Arthur’s embrace. He stirs slightly, but stays asleep. Thankfully. With one last look at his sleeping form, Merlin makes his way into the kitchen. Starting with the fridge, he looks for anything that he can make, soon settling on homemade macaroni and cheese. His groceries were currently very limited.

He stays as quiet as he can, careful not to wake Arthur up in the living room. If what he said was true, then he didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Once the noodles are fully cooked Merlin pours them into the strainer in the sink. Shaking it gently, he gets out as much of the water as he can before pouring them into the already seasoned cheese sauce. He’s just stirring it all together when he hears Arthur’s approaching footsteps.

“Hey." He says, looking over his shoulder. "Nap well?" He asks, smiling as Arthur nods, still a little disoriented after just waking up. "Dinner’s ready." He tells him, gesturing quickly toward the kitchen table before scooping pasta into the two bowls he has ready and waiting. Arthur smiles up at him as he places a bowl and spoon down in front of him.

"This all feels very familiar." Arthur comments as Merlin sits across from him. Merlin shoots him a faux dirty look, but he can't help but laugh a little at his sly grin.

“Prat." He grumbles. "Eat your food." He adds on in the form of an order. Arthur grins, but grabs his spoon and takes a bite.

“Thank you, Merlin. This is great."

Merlin blushes at the compliment. "Thank you." He replies softly.

An easy silence fills the kitchen as they both eat, the quiet clang of metal meeting ceramics being the only noise to break the silence on occasion. As Merlin is taking his last bite, he looks up at Arthur with bright eyes.

"When I move in can we get a puppy?" He asks excitedly. Arthur chokes slightly, coughing with watery eyes. Merlin waits for him to recover with mild concern.

“A puppy?" Arthur repeats hoarsely. Merlin nods enthusiastically.

“Yeah. It'll be like practicing for the possibility of adopting a kid later." Arthur pales slightly at Merlin’s words.

“I guess we're having this conversation now." He mutters under his breath. Merlin looks at him blankly. Arthur nods before continuing. "Kids have always been something that I saw in my future. I guess I always just assumed that kids weren't something you ever wanted." Merlin quirks an eyebrow at him, amused. Arthur nods again, not even really looking at him.

“Getting a puppy might be a good idea. We'll have to do some research and find a breed that's good with kids, cause a dog is a long term commitment and I don't want to just get rid of a part of the family if we do decide to introduce another later."

Merlin gets out of his chair as Arthur continues to ramble. He's still talking as Merlin silences him awkwardly with a kiss. He laughs softly as he pulls back.

“A simple yes would've worked, you know." He grins. Arthur blushes, but laughs along with him.

“Well then, yes. I'd love to get a fur baby with you, Merlin."

Merlin lets out a little squeal of excitement, throwing his arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He rushes out, making Arthur chuckle as he hugs him back.

“Anything for my baby." He replies, quoting Merlin’s words about breakfast from yesterday. As Merlin stands up straight, Arthur steals another quick kiss, and Merlin can't help but to go in for another, more lingering, one.

“How about having that make up sex in my fairly secluded kitchen?" He mumbles against his boyfriend’s lips.

Arthur laughs, effectively breaking the kiss. "Doesn't sound very sanitary to me." He replies, starting to rub small circles into Merlin’s hips. Merlin hums in agreement.

“That's true," he concedes, "but it has never seemed to stop us in the past."

Arthur’s eyes darken as past experiences no doubt flash through his mind. "Well, in that case," he says, getting up and proceeding to walk Merlin backwards until he’s pressed against the wall, "I say we put this  _'make up sex is the best'_ theory to the test." Merlin grins before instantly melting as Arthur presses his body flush to his, locking their lips hotly together.


	4. Chapter 4

It's been a week since Arthur asked Merlin to move in with him, and it's been a hellish week! Merlin, by definition, is a hoarder. To a degree. He refuses to get rid of anything because he might find a use for it one day. Arthur, on the other hand, abides by the  _ 'if you haven't used it in six months then get rid of it' _ rule. This simple difference in view has created havoc. Arguments break out every half an hour, the only respite being the hours that they’re at work during the day.

Some of the arguments Arthur wins, leaving Merlin to watch painfully as he throws some long lost, but still dearly beloved, item of Merlin’s away. Some Merlin wins, grinning victoriously as he packs away his nearly forgotten, but clearly still important, possessions away. They were currently making up after one of these heated disagreements with their lips. That is, until Arthur’s cell phone rings.

Arthur is pinning Merlin down on the bed with just his weight alone, not making any move to answer the incessant ringing. Merlin pulls his hand from Arthur’s hair, about to fumble blindly for it when Arthur growls against his mouth. Merlin’s hand doesn't get far before Arthur moves, proceeding to pin both of his wrists above his head, fingertips digging in hard enough to leave bruises. Merlin whimpers as he does so, but not because it hurts. God no. It's  _ such _ a turn on when Arthur gets possessive and dominant like that. They continue making out as the ringing stops, the sound of their heavy breathing once again being the only noise in the room. Until his phone starts ringing again.

Arthur groans, pulling away with a wet pop. Merlin continues panting, trying to catch his breath, as Arthur lets go of his right wrist to grab his phone.

“What is it, Morgana?" He demands. Merlin don't hear his little sister’s reply, just watches with amusement as Arthur huffs in annoyance. Leaning forward, Merlin lightly trails kisses along Arthur’s jaw, grinning against his skin as he shivers. Continuing down his neck, he stops where his shoulders meet his throat and bites down. Arthur moans, _loudly_ , into the phone before dropping his phone onto the bed beside Merlin’s head.

_“Wait, are you with Merlin?"_ Morgana asks, rather loudly.

Merlin snorts before answering, "Hi, ‘Gana! Yeah, he's with me. What can we do for you?"

Arthur snatches his phone up again, blushing furiously, but not before Merlin hears Morgana say,  _ "I was just wondering if you guys wanted to hit up my party tonight?" _

Merlin’s eyes grow wide with excitement. It's a Saturday, meaning they both have the next day off, and they could do with a little fun. Arthur is by far Merlin’s favourite, but Morgana is hands down the more fun sibling.

“I don't know, ‘Gana." Arthur hesitates. Merlin glares and bites his neck again, but this time there's nothing sexual about it. "Ow, fuck!" Arthur curses, glaring down at him. " _ Mer_lin, did you just bite me?" He lowers his hand to balance himself, putting his phone by Merlin’s ear again.

_“Jesus Christ. Text me if you're gonna show. Don't answer your phone while you're having sex next time!"_ Merlin snorts out a laugh as the line goes dead. Arthur stares at it, horrified.

Arthur leans over, placing his phone back on the nightstand. A very prominent blush is still covering his cheeks as he settles back above Merlin. "She is  _ never _ letting me live that down." He grumbles. "We aren't even _having_ sex!" He continues, utterly scandalized. Merlin grins up at him.

“That can be remedied." He suggests, lacing his fingers through Arthur’s hair again.

“Oh no," Arthur says, shaking his head to loosen Merlin’s grip, "you bit me!" Merlin sticks his bottom lip out in a pout, letting his hands fall back to the bed.

“You weren't gonna take me to that party!" Arthur’s face softens and Merlin knows that they’re going to be making an appearance. His boyfriend finds it very difficult to deny him anything. Especially when it comes to raunchy college party experiences.

Morgana and Merlin were the same age, Merlin being only six months older. The two siblings come from a fairly wealthy family, so when Morgana decided to go to college, their parents could afford it. Merlin, however, didn't have the same luxuries growing up. They hadn’t been poor, but they had barely got by. Student loans had been brought up but Merlin hadn’t wanted that kind of debt hanging over his head when he didn't even know what he wanted to do with his life. He did have a good paying, steady job at a locally owned recording studio as their receptionist. For now, he was happy. But that didn’t mean that he wasn't a little jealous of all his classmates who graduated and were currently experiencing college life. Arthur hadn’t gone to college either, but that didn’t seem to bother him. Their father owned a very successful technology company that he was currently training to take over.

"Fine." Arthur relents. "We can go to that party." Merlin’s face splits into a grin, making Arthur softly smile back in return.

“Thank you!" Merlin gushes. Arthur merely rolls his eyes, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips.

“Mmm," he hums, "we should probably get back to packing."

Whining, Merlin shakes his head dramatically. "No, it's too stressful. And I'm sick of fighting." Arthur chuckles, starting to get up. In a last ditch attempt to stop him, Merlin grabs onto him, wrapping his arms around his neck as his legs go around his waist.

“Merlin, your stuff isn't going to pack itself. We've only  _ just _ started on your room and I swear you have more clothes than anyone else I've ever met!" Arthur tries to squirm out of Merlin’s grasp, but he’s holding on too tightly. "I mean it, Merlin." He groans.

Arthur realizes quite quickly that he isn't going to get Merlin off, so instead he braces himself against the bed, pushing off as he stands up with Merlin still attached to him. Merlin lets out a yelp, loosening his grip with his legs and letting them fall securely to the floor. He glares at Arthur’s satisfied smirk.

“You're an great prat." He grumbles, merely making Arthur laugh and kiss the tip of his nose.

“Aww, don't be like that,  _ Darling_." Merlin somehow manages to fight back the smile that Arthur’s pet name tries to produce. Instead, he just huffs in annoyance and lets go of him completely. Turning around, he surveys the contents of his closet, which is currently spread throughout the room. The cardigan that started their last argument is still sitting front and centre on the biggest pile.

With a smirk, he walks toward it, lifting it into his arms as he spins around to face Arthur. Arthur’s face falls as he catches sight of the fabric. "I'm gonna wear  _ this _ to Morgana’s party!" He announces proudly, grinning even wider as Arthur frowns. He looks as if he's about to protest, so Merlin turns back to the pile in search of something to wear with it. He sees a plain white v-neck tee poking out near the bottom so he reaches down and pulls it out. The entire pile tumbles to the floor in the process, making Arthur groan behind him. Merlin simply ignores him as he places his selections on his bed, proceeding to lift his shirt off over his head. He glances at Arthur coyly, smiling as his eyes rack up and down his shirtless torso.

"Like what you see?" Merlin teases, turning to face him. Arthur lifts his gaze to meet Merlin’s, simply staring into his eyes before he takes three swift steps towards him, grips his face, and plants his lips on Merlin’s.

“I always love what I see." He murmurs as he pulls back, making Merlin’s cheeks flush pink. "Now, get dressed. I'm taking you out for dinner before we head over to the dorms."

Merlin grins again, stealing one last, quick kiss before Arthur steps back, almost tripping over yet another pile of clothes. Okay, so  _ maybe _ Arthur had a point about Merlin having too many clothes. It's just hard for him to part with any of them because he might need them one day. Possibly.

~~~

The party is in full swing already when they get there at nine. Morgana seemingly materializes out of nowhere, smiling broadly as she pulls each of them into a hug in turn. "Glad you could make it. Although," she turns to Merlin, "you might need to consider a new boyfriend if he didn't tire you out enough that you couldn't move."

Merlin bursts out laughing as Morgana gives him a cheeky smile. Arthur, however, doesn't find Morgana as funny.

“Ha ha. Why don't you go shove your tongue down Gwen’s throat?" He grouches, shoving Morgana as the other Pendragon just laughs. As if on cue, Gwen appears at Morgana’s side, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend’s waist.

"Hey guys!" She greets enthusiastically. She is honestly such a sweetheart. If Morgana didn’t marry this girl, Merlin might  _ actually _ kill her. "Can I get you guys some drinks?" She adds with a smile. Merlin returns it with one of his own.

“No thanks, Gwen. Arthur isn't drinking tonight and I can grab my own." She nods, grinning as Morgana plants a kiss on her cheek.

“You have fun, you two." She waves, letting Morgana pull her into the crowd. As they disappear, Arthur turns to Merlin. 

“Not too much, okay Merlin?" He asks, making Merlin sigh. However, he nods in agreement. Arthur kisses him softly before lacing their fingers together and leading Merlin through the throngs of people, in search of something to drink.

After quite a search, they finally find a table in the far corner of the next room laden down with alcohol. Arthur starts mixing his boyfriend a drink before Merlin even gets the chance.

“I could've done that, you know." Merlin chastises him playfully. Arthur just smiles at him.

I know." He shrugs, handing Merlin the plastic cup. Merlin takes a sip and hums. Honestly, if his father's company fails he would make an ace bartender. He simply laughs as Merlin tells him so, once again taking his hand as he leads him back to one of the many couches they had passed earlier. He pulls Merlin into his lap as he sits down.

They sit and talk for a while, only getting interrupted as Arthur gets up to refill Merlin’s cup. After about three glasses, Merlin requests that they dance to the crappy but very bass heavy and dancey music. Although extremely reluctant, Arthur does agree. Merlin squeals in excitement and jumps up, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the middle of the makeshift dance floor.

Wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck, Merlin starts swaying rather ungracefully to the music. Arthur laughs softly as he gently grabs his hips, keeping him close. Merlin loosens up the longer they’re up, and soon he’s swirling and jumping along with the other people around him. Arthur is more subdued, more content with keeping a hand on his boyfriend to steady him as he sways.

"I'll be right back!" Merlin yells above the music. "I have to pee!" Arthur nods, following him out of the crowd.

“I'm going to go find Morgana. Call me if you get lost." Arthur says over the music. Merlin nods and laughs, scrunching up his nose. Arthur just smiles lightly, squeezing his hip before parting ways.

Merlin finds the bathroom without too much difficulty, and thankfully it's free. When he opens the door to leave, a big jock looking guy with short brown hair shoves him aside.

“Out of my way,  _ fag_." He slurs. Merlin stumbles, catching myself on the opposite wall as the man laughs. Tears spring into his eyes as the other guy slams the door shut. Merlin hasn’t been called  _ that _ since high school, five years ago.

His vision is blurred as he makes his way through the people crowded around. He mumbles apologies as he bumps into people. Spotting Morgana, Merlin makes his way over, thankful to find Arthur beside her. He glances up with a smile, which soon fades as he catches sight of Merlin’s miserable expression.

“Baby, what's wrong?" He asks, pulling Merlin into a warm hug.

“Let's just go." Merlin mumbles into his neck.

Pulling back, Arthur studies his face. "Merlin, what happened?" He asks, Morgana listening intently beside him.

“Nothing." Merlin whispers, looking down at the floor.   


Arthur sighs and pulls him back into his arms. "Baby, please tell me." He murmurs into his ear.

“Some guy just said some very mean things to me." Merlin chokes back, the alcohol he had consumed increasing the intensity of his emotions. He normally wouldn’t let such name calling affect him so much.

Merlin buries his face back into Arthur’s neck as a tear slips down his cheek. "Sorry, ‘Gana. I have to take him home." Arthur informs his sister.

“Hey, no worries. Make sure he's okay. He's like family, you know?"

Merlin feels Arthur nod before he pulls away slightly, keeping a protective arm around Merlin’s shoulders as they navigate their way back to the door they had come in through. Thankfully, they don't bump into that awful man again.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. I shouldn't have left you alone." Arthur says as they step outside.

Merlin shakes his head at his boyfriend’s words. He’s twenty-three. He should be able to go pee by himself. “Don't be. Let's just go home." He sniffs.

Arthur nods, leading them back to his car and helping Merlin in. Merlin’s tears have subsided by now, so when Arthur climbs in behind the wheel, he turns to him to say, "He called me a fag."

Arthur looks at him, surprised. He reaches out and grips his hand tightly. "He's an asshole. Never mind him."

Merlin nods sadly. They slip into an easy silence as Arthur drives them to his place, since it's closer to the college. Arthur doesn't let go of Merlin’s hand the entire drive.


	5. Chapter 5

"Arthur, don't you dare throw that out!"

"But Merlin, we don't need it! I have one that works just fine!"

"We're keeping it! It's been in my family for, like, three generations!"

"That's why we're getting rid of it! It's ancient!"

"I said no, Arthur!"

"Merlin, it doesn't even work anymore! I've had to listen to you complain about it for months!"

"I've been meaning to get it fixed!"

"No! I have a brand new one that works perfectly!"

Arthur is holding Merlin’s broken blender up in the air as his other hand is placed firmly on Merlin’s chest to keep him at arms length. It had taken all week to get Merlin’s room packed, accompanied by many tears on his part, which left them with only the kitchen. They had agreed to pack his coffee maker, but the blender was proving to be a very hot topic. His mother had given him that blender when he had moved in. It had always kind of been a piece of crap, and it hadn't been working for the last three and a half months, but it was still _his_.

"No, Merlin. That's final!" Merlin watches with despair as Arthur carries it to the large garbage bag in the middle of the room and tosses it in. "I'm sorry, babe." He soothes as he turns and sees Merlin’s devastation. "I'm sure it was a good blender at one point but the thing  _ is _ ancient. I don't even know is anyone  _ could  _ repair it anymore."

Merlin pouts like a toddler cause he knows that Arthur is right, and he hates being wrong. Turning, Merlin looks over the small stacks of dishes that he has in the cupboards.

“Almost all the dishes can come." Arthur says, wrapping his arms around Merlin’s waist from behind and resting his chin on his shoulder.

“Okay." Merlin sighs, bringing his hands up to rest over top of Arthur’s.

It's crazy how hard this whole packing thing is for Merlin. Despite their arguments, Arthur has been great. He's firm when he needs to be, but is willing to compromise when it's obviously very important to his boyfriend. He means well, and Merlin knows that this is all for the best. It's just hard to break a lifelong habit that had been passed down to him from his mother. Believe it or not, but she's worse than her son is. Maybe he should give that blender back to her.

“I love you." Arthur murmurs, gently kissing Merlin’s neck. Merlin sighs and lets his head fall back awkwardly onto his shoulder behind him.

“I love you, too." Merlin replies quietly.

They stand there for another minute or two before Arthur pulls away. "We should get these dishes packed up." Merlin heaves an exhausted sigh, but nods in agreement. Arthur takes his hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze as he shoots him a sympathetic smile. "We're almost done. Half a week and then the movers are coming and all of this will be worth it."

Merlin smiles softly at the thought. Honestly, living with Arthur has been his dream ever since they met when he was nineteen. Oh, how different life would've been if he hadn't been such a klutz and spilled his caramel latte all over him that day.

They spend the next hour or so carefully wrapping up and packing all of Merlin’s plates, bowls, and drink ware. Only the bare minimum is left unpacked so he has dishes to use throughout the rest of the week. Not that it really matters. He spends most of his time at Arthur’s, and soon to be their, place anyway.

Once the last bowl is placed in its box, Merlin heaves a sigh of relief. Basically everything is done. Now all they had to do was wait until the weekend to get his bigger furniture moved. His bed was going coming with him, as was his dresser. His coffee and kitchen tables, however, were going to be dropped off at the used furniture store downtown. The little bit of money being collected from them going toward celebratory dinner on Saturday night.

Arthur looks up at Merlin, grinning. He carefully makes his way through the haphazardly scattered boxes before pulling him against his chest in a hug. "I'm so proud of you, Merls. I can't wait to start this new part of our lives together."

Merlin grins at his words, wrapping his arms even tighter around his neck. "Thank you, Arthur. You've been amazing through all of this. I'm still sorry that I accused you of cheating on me."

Arthur chuckles against his hair, kissing the side of his head softly. "You've apologized enough. Stop." He murmurs, but Merlin can't help it. He still feels so damn guilty. He’s just glad that he gave Arthur the chance to explain himself. He can't even imagine what his life would be like without him.

"You know," Merlin says, pulling back, "someday I'm gonna marry you. Then you'll be stuck with my crazy, diva ass for the rest of your life." Arthur stares at him for a moment before breaking out into a dazzling smile.

“Good." He breathes, leaning in and kissing him sweetly. "I wouldn't have my life go any other way. Your ass, and everything attached to it, is mine forever, and  _ only  _ mine."

Merlin giggles as Arthur slips his hands down to grip his butt, his cheeks flaring red. "I love you." He repeats softly, watching as Arthur’s eyes fill up with warmth, and joy, and just plain love.

“And that's why I'm the luckiest guy alive." He replies, leaning in to kiss Merlin again. This time, as he pulls away, Merlin reaches his hands up, tangling them in his hair to keep him right where he is.

Sighing softly against Merlin’s mouth, Arthur wraps his arms back around his waist. "Let's go upstairs." He rushes out, breath fanning across Merlin’s lips. Merlin doesn’t need to be told twice. He grabs Arthur’s hand, lacing their fingers together, before spinning on his heel and leading him to the stairs. Arthur is hot on his boyfriend’s heels all the way up, pulling him to a stop at the top to greedily steal another passionate kiss.

Merlin’s ready to just forget the bedroom and just go at it right there, but Arthur pulls away and continues down the hall. Pushing Merlin into his room, Arthur strips off his shirt, eyes locked on Merlin as he does the same. His eyes are dark and almost animalistic as he walks Merlin backwards to the bed. Merlin tumbles down as the backs of his legs hit the mattress and Arthur crawls on top of him.

“Fuck, you're so  _ hot _ !" He growls lustfully. Merlin doesn’t reply, just curls his fingers back into his hair and brings his lips down to his own in a bruising kiss.

~~~

"I'm telling you, Gwaine, he's going to propose." Merlin tells his coworker, and best friend, at work the next day. Gwaine grins at his enthusiasm.

“Honestly, I'm surprised you two haven't tied the knot already." He confesses, shrugging his shoulders. "You guys have basically been an old married couple since you got together."

Merlin gasps, smacking his chest lightly. That is  _so_ not true. Old married couples don't fuck like rabbits, which heand Arthur  _ definitely _ do. He opens his mouth to tell Gwaine this but he slaps his hand over Merlin’s mouth.

“I do  not need details about your sex life with your boyfriend. I may be an open minded guy, and your best friend, but I  _ am _ still you’re best friend, mate. There are some parts of your life that I just don’t need to know about." Merlin smirks, remembering all the times he had made poor Gwaine sit and listen to him gush about how great Arthur is in bed.

"Whatever." Merlin rolls his eyes. "But I'm serious, has he mentioned anything to you?" It's not like Gwaine and Arthur are close friends, but he  _ is _ close with Morgana, somehow, and if Arthur was going to propose he  _ would _ tell his little sister. Gwaine, though, just shakes his head.

“Sorry, mate, but Morgie hasn't said a word, and you know the gal. She’d  _ never _ be able to keep something like that a secret for very long."

Merlin nods with a smile, slightly disappointed that Arthur hasn't said anything. Although, he  _ does _ know that Morgana is basically a sieve when it comes to certain information, so maybe he  _ wouldn't  _ tell her.

"Hey, Merls, don't worry about it." Gwaine gives his knee a reassuring squeeze. "Arthur is totally nuts about you. I've never seen someone so head over heels in love. I'm sure he's going to propose soon." Merlin shoots Gwaine an appreciative smile. He always knows just what to say to make Merlin feel better.

“Yeah. Thanks, Gwaine." He grins and nods before glancing at his watch.

“Yeah, no problem, but we gotta get back to work." Merlin groans in reply, but hauls himself to his feet, leaving the cozy break room behind to make his way back to the front desk. Sefa, the girl who covers the desk for Merlin he’s away, smiles as he returns.

"Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Merlin asks as he leans on the wooden top. She shakes her head  _'no' _ as she stands up.

“Everyone seems to like you better and waits until you're back before coming in." She laughs, pulling a small laugh from Merlin as well.

“Don't you mind them, Sefa. You're plenty lovely." He playfully reassures.

“Thank you." She grins before slipping back into the hallway leading to the studio and the handful of small offices behind the desk.

Heaving a sigh, Merlin sinks down into his chair. It's only Wednesday, which means there is still two more full days before he  _ finally  _ gets to move in with Arthur. He’s been practically bouncing up and down with excitement for the past week and driving all of his coworkers insane.

He looks up as the door chime announces a new client. He puts on his business smile, which soon fades into a genuine grin as Morgana approaches.

“What’s up, Merlin?" She waves.

With a wave back, Merlin replies, "Not a whole lot. What can I do for you?"

Morgana glances around quickly, almost like she’s making sure that they’re alone, before coming closer.

“Do you have a minute?" She asks, leaning closer conspiratorially.

“Uhm, sure?" Merlin replies, a little uncertain. Morgana nods, grabbing one of the chairs by the window and pulling it closer.

“Okay." She nods. "Okay." Merlin stares at her, utterly confused. "What I'm about to tell you, you can absolutely not repeat, or Arthur will kill me. That was his actual threat, by he way. He's very violent. Even if he couldn’t  _hope_ to actually  kill _me_." She starts rambling.

"Morgana." Merlin places his hand lightly on her arm to get her attention back. Once she has stopped talking and is once again focused on him, Merlin continues, "What is it that you apparently aren't supposed to tell me, but seem to need too anyway?"

She chews on her lip uncertainly. She opens her mouth, but closes it just as quickly. "I... I don't know if I should actually tell you." She looks pained as she meets his eyes. Merlin frowns. She couldn’t do that to him! Now he’s so curious that he might actually explode!

“Oh, come on! That's not fair!" He protests, rather loudly. He quickly glances around before lowering his voice and adding, "Please just tell me. I promise I won't repeat it to anyone!"

Morgana meets his gaze before once again chewing on her lip. Her forehead is screwed up in deep thought as she seemingly debates on the best course of action. "Okay, fine," she relents, "but you have to  _ promise _ not to tell  _ anyone _ . Not even Gwaine." She warns. That's going to be hard seeing as he tells Gwaine everything, but Merlin nods his head all the same.

“Yeah, okay, I promise." He says. 

Morgana nods her head again before staring, seriously, directly into his eyes. “I've known this for the past month, so you should be proud I kept it quiet this long. Arthur is going to propose. That's what he was  _ actually  _ going to ask you on your anniversary, he just chickened out after your fight cause he didn't know if you'd say yes."


	6. Chapter 6

By Friday night, Merlin is a nervous wreck. Arthur looks on with amusement as he races around his house, double and triple checking that everything is ready for tomorrow morning. He doesn’t want to leave anything behind!

“Merlin." Arthur says in an effort to stop him as he speed walks through the living room for the fourth time. Merlin ignores him as he loops around the sofa and starts heading back out again. That is, until a hand latches onto his wrist and pulls him backwards. Unfortunately, Arthur pulled harder than he meant to, so Merlin ends up sprawling across his lap on the couch.

“ _Mer_ lin, relax. Everything is packed, nothing got lost, all of you possessions are accounted for, and the moving company called today to confirm that they will be here at nine tomorrow morning."

Merlin relaxes slightly at his words, feeling some of his previous stress melt away from just Arthur’s voice alone. "Yeah, okay." He mutters, trying to control the urge to get back to his feet and continue his never ending mad dash around the house. His boyfriend knows him pretty well though, so he keeps a firm hand on his wrist, keeping him beside him until he decides to let go. Merlin glances at his face, smiling softly as they lock eyes. Arthur smiles back in return.

“I'm so exited for tomorrow." Merlin murmurs. Arthur grins, white teeth shining in the reflection from the television screen.

“I've been waiting for this day for so long. I don't even care how creepy that sounds." Merlin chuckles at Arthur’s words, cause he honestly feels the same way.

"So, nine tomorrow?" Merlin clarifies, although he knows the date and time since it's been burned into his memory out of sheer excitement.

Arthur nods, chuckling at Merlin’s nerves. “Yes, nine tomorrow, and then I get to fall asleep next to you, and wake up to your beautiful face for the rest of my life."

Morgana’s words from Wednesday flash through Merlin’s mind.  _ 'Arthur is going to propose.' _ Merlin smiles up at his boyfriend, studying his face to try and figure out what he's thinking. However, Arthur doesn't continue, leaving Merlin a little disappointed. He’s nearly bursting at the seams to say _yes_ , he just needs Arthur to ask him already.

“That sounds absolutely perfect." He settles on saying instead. Morgana  _did_ beg him not to say anything to anyone, after all.

Arthur blushes lightly as he smiles, averting his gaze to his fingers that are subconsciously playing with Merlin’s. Merlin briefly thinks about just asking Arthur to marry him instead, but quickly dismisses the idea. This is something that Arthur planned, so he probably really wants to be the one to pop the question. Merlin just wishes that he'd hurry up.

He doesn’t realize how withdrawn he’s gotten until Arthur releases his hand and runs his fingers through his hair. "What's on your mind, darling?" He asks softly. Merlin just smiles in return and shakes his head.

“Just day dreaming about how perfect tomorrow is gonna be." Arthur grins broadly, nodding his head in approval.

“Yeah." He breathes, almost so quietly that Merlin almost doesn’t even hear him. Maybe he wasn't even supposed to.

"What about you?" Merlin asks, flipping the question back to Arthur. "What's on your mind?"

Arthur just smiles with a faraway look in his eyes. "Just thinking." He shrugs, his eyes refocusing on his boyfriend. Merlin doesn’t buy that answer at all, but he leaves it alone. Arthur will let him know when he thinks that it's the right time.

As an easy quiet descends upon them, Merlin’s mind once again turns back to his previous need to pace around the house until tomorrow. He starts to fidget restlessly, no doubt interrupting Arthur from his own thoughts. His free hand comes to rest on Merlin’s lower stomach, instantly stilling him. When Merlin glances up at him, though, Arthur isn't even looking at him. Although, he _does_ see a small smirk curling at his lips.

Merlin groans and shifts his hips, trying to give Arthur the hint to  _stop teasing him_. However, Arthur’s smirk just grows, now reaching his eyes as he finally looks down at him.  


“Relax, Merlin." He says again, amusement lacing his voice. "Relax, or I'll be forced to  _ make  _ you relax."

Merlin’s eyebrows quirk up with interest at his words and the sultry tone in which he delivered them. "Oh yeah? And what do you have in mind?" Merlin bites his lip as Arthur slides his hand lower.

As he grips Merlin though his jeans he replies, "Oh, I have a few ideas." He gives Merlin’s quickly hardening dick a squeeze, easily pulling a soft moan from his lips.

“I might just take you up on that offer." He moans out breathily.

~~~

The alarm blares the next morning, rudely ripping Merlin from his peaceful slumber. With a groan, he reaches over to smack the snooze button, only to find that his alarm clock isn't there. He grumbles incoherently as he raises his head and looks around for the offending noise. It's Arthur’s phone, sitting on the nightstand just out of reach without moving.

“Arthur, turn off your alarm." He groans, rolling onto his back to smack his boyfriend awake. Only, Arthur isn't there. Merlin looks around and finds that he is absolutely and 100% alone in his bedroom. Groaning again, he accepts that Arthur  _ isn't  _ going to turn off the annoyingly loud alarm coming from his phone. With a sigh, he throws back the covers and sits up so he can reach out and tap off the alarm. Thankfully Arthur hadn’t set the snooze option.

Merlin sits still on the edge of the bed, yawning, for a few minutes. Just as he’s slowly getting to his feet, he hears the front door downstairs open and then close.

“Merlin!" He hears Arthur’s faint voice. "Get up. I brought breakfast." Merlin rolls his eyes.  _ Of course  _ he was already up and had been outside today. He was used to getting up early to get to work on time. Merlin doesn’t know how he does it. He, himself, could barely function before noon on his best days. And certainly not without coffee first. Arthur’s footsteps sound up the stairs, but Merlin doesn’t even really make a move to get dressed.

The bedroom door swings open. Arthur looks him up and down, smirking as he takes in Merlin’s naked body. "Lookin' good, Merls, but may I suggest putting some clothes on? I'd hate to have to kill our help today."

Merlin laughs at his words, nodding before bending down and grabbing the small stack of clothes that he had set aside yesterday before he had packed up absolutely all of his clothes.

“What did you bring me?" He asks curiously as he slips a pair of boxer briefs on.

“A toasted bagel with cream cheese and a caramel latte from Lola's." Arthur replies, holding up a small takeout bag. A steaming drink is held firmly in his other hand.

Once at least his pants are on, Merlin walks forward and accepts the lovely breakfast that Arthur brought him. He kisses Merlin’s forehead, wrapping one arm around his waist as he does so.

“You excited, darling?" He asks. Merlin nods furiously as he takes a huge bite of his bagel. Arthur chuckles, letting Merlin go as he turns to go back to the bed where his shirt is waiting for him. He holds his entire bagel in his mouth as he slips his shirt on, being careful to not smear cream cheese all over the inside. Arthur snorts behind him, making Merlin roll his eyes.  _ ‘Why exactly does he want to spend the rest of his life with me, again?’  _ Merlin muses thoughtfully.

Removing the bagel from his mouth, Merlin takes another bite and heads for Arthur, and therefore the bedroom door. "Thanks, babe." He says, quickly kissing Arthur’s lips before taking his latte from him and slipping out into the hallway.

“Actually." He says, turning back to face Arthur. "Can you hold these? I gotta pee." Arthur heaves an amused sigh as he takes Merlin’s breakfast back, allowing him to slip into the bathroom. He's leaning against the opposite wall, right outside the door, as Merlin re-emerges into the hall. He hands him back his food with a smile.

“You better hurry up." He comments. "The guys will be here in about twenty minutes."

Merlin quickly wolfs down his breakfast so he can finish helping Arthur carry boxes to the front door. Most of them were moved yesterday after their, uh,  _ extracurricular  _ activities. The doorbell rings just as Merlin is placing the last one down. Arthur answers, smiling as he steps aside. Four burly, but pleasant, looking men stroll in and immediately get to work. Merlin offers to help, but the blond one just smiles.

“No need, sir." He says. "This is what we get paid to do. Just tell us what to take and we'll do the rest."

Arthur and Merlin spend the next few hours telling the men what to take and what to leave while simultaneously trying to stay out of the way. Slowly but surely, the house starts to get emptier and emptier, making Merlin’s excitement sky rocket yet again. Just like yesterday, he starts pacing the house, making sure that nothing was missed. He checks the washer and dryer three times because he’s just that paranoid. Arthur walks with him. He says it's to double check too, but Merlin actually know that he's making sure he stays out of the help's way. Like he couldn't do that by himself. Still, Merlin appreciates the effort and his company.

At long last, the blond one from before approaches them and smiles politely. "That's everything. This is usually the part where I advise you to double check that you have everything, but you guys already covered that."

Merlin blushes slightly as the man chuckles, but he knows that the guy means nothing by it. "We're stopping by Fosse's Furniture on the way to the new address, correct?" He questions. Arthur nods, giving Merlin’s hand a firm squeeze before letting go and pushing away from the wall that they’re leaning against.

“Yep. We'll follow you there, then you can follow us to my place. You have the address in case we get separated?" The man nods, making Merlin’s grin slowly start to get bigger.  _ 'This is really happening!!' _

Arthur smiles brightly in approval. "Okay then. Let's get this show on the road!" He cheers.

~~~

The four nice men get all their furniture set up for them at Arthur’s, and even bring the boxes into their respective rooms, before handing Arthur the bill, wishing them well, and leaving. Merlin half heartedly suggests that they unpack a few boxes but Arthur disagrees. That leads them to now, as they get out of Arthur’s car and link hands before walking into the huge, and unreasonably fancy, restaurant towering above them.

“Reservation for Pendragon." Arthur informs the lady at the front. She glances down at her list before looking up with a smile.

“Right this way, gentleman." She replies, before leading them past the other customers and to the far back corner. "Your waitress will be right with you." She smiles brightly before walking back to her post at the front. Merlin turns to Arthur, more than a little shocked.

"Isn't this just a  _ little _ over the top, Arthur?" Merlin asks, nervously thinking about the few hundred dollars in his wallet. He doesn’t even know if that'll  _cover_ this dinner. Arthur blushes slightly as he fidgets in his seat across from him. 

“Uhm, no, well maybe? I don't know." He chuckles nervously.

_‘Oh god. It's finally happening, isn't it?'_ Merlin looks at Arthur as he flicks his eyes around, never quite settling on one thing.

“Arthur, babe, is everything okay?" He asks slowly, reaching across the table to take Arthur’s slightly trembling hand in him. A cold, nervous sweat has seemed to have broken out over his whole body.

“Well, that depends." He replies quietly. Merlin stares at him, his heart racing for the world record inside his chest. If this is how _he_ feels, he can't even  _ imagine  _ how Arthur must feel right now.

"Merlin." Arthur begins, finally meeting Merlin’s eyes. "I love you. You know that, but I don't know if you realize just how much. That day you spilled your coffee all over my very white shirt, it's like everything changed. I looked up, ready to yell at you, but the moment I saw your eyes, the angry words just seemed to die in my throat. I knew in that moment that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. And as we started to get to know each other, the more that feeling grew. I was so crazy about you, but I was so scared to ask you to be my boyfriend that it took me forever to finally get the damn question out. And the look on your face as your pretty mouth formed the word _yes_... you made me the happiest guy alive.”

He pauses to take a deep breath before continuing, “I'm sorry that it's taken me so long again, but here I am. Merlin Emrys, will you do me the honour of becoming my husband and continuing to make me the happiest man alive for the rest of our lives?"

At some point during Arthur’s speech Merlin’s left hand had come up to cover his mouth. He blinks away the tears in his eyes furiously as he watches Arthur pull a small, black, velvet box out and carefully open it, revealing a beautiful silver and gold band inside. Merlin drops his hand to the table between them.

Lifting his teary eyes up to Arthur’s, he breathes out, "Yes. Yes, yes,  _ God _ _yes_!"

Arthur’s eyes brim with tears of his own as he gently takes Merlin’s left hand in his and slips the ring on. It's a perfect fit.

“I love you." They both whisper at the same time.


	7. Chapter 7

** TWO MONTHS LATER **

A light breeze ruffles the curtains covering the open window, stirring Merlin awake. He blinks sleepily as he slowly starts to regain consciousness. He stretches the little that he can with Arthur’s arm around his waist, holding him down. Arthur shifts slightly beside him as Merlin settles, but remains asleep. 

Sighing contentedly, Merlin looks down at his left hand resting above the covers. It's something he does quite often now. Simply admiring the ring on his finger as his heart squeezes and flutters inside his chest. Shortly after they got engaged, he had went out and bought a ring for Arthur, insisting that he wear one too. Arthur had put up a fight at first, but backed down fairly quickly. Merlin was a very stubborn person.

The soft sound of birds singing drifts in through the open window, bringing a soft smile to Merlin’s face. These are the best kinds of mornings. Arthur’s hand stiffens where it's rested against Merlin’s chest as he slowly wakes up. Rolling over onto his back, Merlin looks beside him at his boyfriend as Arthur’s eyes flutter open. He hums, smiling softly as he blinks awake.

“I'll never grow tired of this view every morning." He says, voice still raspy and thick with sleep. Merlin blushes, feeling his stomach twist at Arthur’s  _ hot as fuck _ morning voice. With a smile, he leans forward and softly connects their lips. Arthur hums contentedly against Merlin’s mouth before they pull apart and lock eyes again.

“I love you, my beautiful fiancé." Arthur says, like he’s done every morning since they moved in together.

"I love you too." Merlin grins as he replies. Arthur’s eyes wander down to Merlin’s lips as he licks his own subconsciously. He leans forward and Merlin meets him halfway, kissing him slowly and passionately. Merlin feels Arthur shift closer, his hand starting to run up and down his exposed stomach. He shivers as Arthur lets his hand slide down closer to his pyjama bottoms each time. Rolling onto his side, Merlin faces him and slips his tongue into his mouth, barely suppressing a moan as he feels Arthur’s already half hard cock graze against his thigh. Arthur shudders beside him before rolling onto his back, pulling Merlin on top of him.

Merlin shifts around, getting himself situated so he’s straddling Arthur’s hips as he holds himself up with his elbows on either side of Arthur’s head. Arthur lets out a guttural groan as Merlin rolls his hips down against his boyfriend’s. Arthur’s grip on Merlin’s hips tightens as he continues to lazily rock against him, stopping his movement every now and then to swing his hips side to side instead.

Merlin pulls away from Arthur’s mouth, letting his lips trail kisses down his jaw and neck until he reaches his collarbone. Arthur gasps breathily in his ear as he sucks and bites teasingly on the skin. He licks a stripe up his neck, feeling his vein pulse under his tongue, until he reaches his ear.

“Fuck me." Merlin growls, and Arthur groans, thrusting his hips up to meet Merlin’s.

Arthur moves his hands up to Merlin’s hair, tangling them in the thick, raven locks as he pulls Merlin’s head back and smashes their lips together. Merlin moans into his mouth as his tongue slips into his mouth, curling them hotly together. Merlin’s hips still as he focuses on Arthur’s mouth, making Arthur groan in protest. Merlin grins against his boyfriend’s mouth, knowing that he’s teasing him. He doesn’t get to gloat very long before Arthur is suddenly flipping them over and pinning Merlin down against the mattress. The predatory look in his eyes makes Merlin moan helplessly, his cock throbbing hotly in his mildly constricting boxer briefs. Arthur presses a quick, harsh kiss to Merlin’s lips before pulling away again.

Merlin watches him the best he can as he slowly moves down his body, pressing wet hot kisses along his skin as he goes. He moans softly as Arthur wraps his lips around one of his hard nipples, grazing it teasingly with his teeth. He licks over Merlin’s chest to my other one, and sucks hard on it. Merlin arches his back up into his touch, mouth open as he pants helplessly beneath him. Arthur grins wickedly against his skin before continuing down. He dips his tongue into his navel, holding his hips down as Merlin tries to thrust against him, desperate for any sort of friction.

Looking up, Arthur meets Merlin’s eyes, and Merlin swallows thickly at the lust he sees swirling in the ocean blue orbs. He throws his head back into the pillows as Arthur ducks his head and mouths at his hip bones, teeth grazing over the skin. Arthur’s hands run up and down slowly along Merlin’s thighs, his cock jumping with excitement each time he comes near.

Arthur grins up at him as he hooks his thumbs under the waistband of his pyjama bottoms. Merlin lifts his hips, helping him as he pulls them down agonizingly slowly. Not soon enough, they're on the floor beside the bed and he's gripping Merlin’s knees, pulling them up until his legs are bent and his feet are flat against the mattress. Merlin moans again as Arthur presses feather light kisses along the insides of his thighs.

“Fuck, Arthur." He breathes, desperately.

Arthur meets his eyes, grinning wickedly again before he ducks his head between Merlin’s legs and mouths at him gently through his briefs. Pre-cum is already soaking the cottony material. Merlin closes his eyes, bringing his right hand up to his mouth and biting on his fist as Arthur nibbles a little harder. His moan as Arthur slowly pulls the material down is embarrassingly high pitched, but he’s already too far gone to care. Merlin’s cock springs free from the material torturously slowly, making Arthur chuckles as he whimpers and whines from his very vulnerable position below him.

Once Merlin’s briefs are deposited on the floor with his trousers, Arthur leans down and blows cool air gently over him, and Merlin writhes as his cock pulses needily. He lets out a slutty moan as Arthur finally wraps his lips around the tip, making obscene sounds as he suckles on it messily. He barely has time to adjust before Arthur is swallowing him down, his eyes watering slightly as Merlin slips down his throat. His nose presses into his pubic hair, somehow making it even hotter that it already is. He sucks hard as he pulls back, pressing his tongue firmly along the underside as he raises his head.

He bobs his head down again a few more times before pulling back completely. Merlin slips out of his mouth, a string of saliva running from his shining crown to Arthur’s lower lip. The strand slowly stretches then breaks as he pulls away, sitting up between Merlin’s still bent knees. Merlin meet his eyes darkly as he raises his arms and pulls his shirt off over his head. It sails down to the floor as he crawls forward and presses his lips to Merlin’s. Merlin can taste himself in Arthur’s mouth as their tongues meet again, making him grow impossibly harder. He moans desperately against Arthur’s mouth, and his boyfriend thankfully gets the hint.

Arthur climbs off, giving Merlin an amazing view of the tent in his own trousers. He slowly sways his hips side to side, giving Merlin a show as he slips the material down, revealing absolutely no underwear underneath. Merlin groans needily as his eyes rack up his flushed and heaving chest.

Leaning down slightly, Arthur digs in the drawer of his bedside table, holding a condom and a bottle of lube as he straightens up. He tosses the condom on the pillow beside Merlin’s head as he positions himself back between his parted legs. Popping open the cap, he pours some lube on his fingers, making sure to coat them well before placing the bottle down beside him.

Meeting Merlin’s eyes, Arthur reaches down, parting Merlin’s cheeks before slowly teasing his finger around his hole. Merlin can feel the muscle pucker slightly against the cold. He whines helplessly, and Arthur finally pushes two fingers past the ring of muscle. Merlin moans at the sudden feeling of being  _ full, _still fairly stretched from last night. Like he said, they fucked like rabbits.

Arthur opens him slowly with two fingers before adding a third. A whoreish moan tumbles out of Merlin’s mouth as he presses down needily against Arthur’s fingers.

“You're right," Arthur says, breathing heavily, "I  _ do _ like it when you're ready and willing more." Merlin shivers.

Pulling his fingers out, Arthur wipes them quickly on the sheets before grabbing the condom and ripping it open. Merlin grab it as it falls from the package, meeting his boyfriend’s gaze as he reaches down and rolls it on. Arthur’s head falls forward as he groans, chin resting on his chest as Merlin grabs the lube, pouring some into his hand before tossing it aside. Once his cock is coated, Merlin lays back down, his legs parting even wider.

Arthur shifts forward, gripping Merlin’s hips as he lines himself up. He presses his mouth to Merlin’s, swallowing his moans as he pushes in. He stills for a moment, panting against Merlin’s mouth before pulling out and snapping his hips forward. The bare skin on Arthur’s chest burns against Merlin’s as he leans forward, sliding his tongue into his mouth as he continues thrusting into him.

Merlin wraps his legs around Arthur’s waist, allowing him to go even deeper. He cries out as the head of Arthur’s cock collides roughly with his prostate. Arthur continues pounding into him, abusing his nerves, turning him into a moaning and writhing mess.

“ _Arthur_." He moans out, and Arthur reaches down between them, wrapping his warm hand around Merlin’s even hotter dick. He pulls at his shaft, squeezing his warm flesh in time with his hard thrusts. Merlin dissolves even more at his touch, sweat glistening on his body. He digs his nails into the skin of Arthur’s back, leaving angry, red claw marks in their wake as he drags them down. With one final hit of his prostate, Merlin lets go, his vision going white as he cries out Arthur’s name.

Arthur continues to pound into him until he buries his face in Merlin’s neck, biting down hard as he shoots into the condom, his hips snapping sloppily as he rides out his high. He stills for a minute, panting against Merlin’s skin before slowly pulling out. Merlin’s muscles contract around nothing as Arthur pulls the condom off, tying it before tossing it into the trash. He grins lazily over at Merlin as he lies there, still trying to catch his breath.

“I think  _ 'well fucked' _ is definitely my favourite look on you." Arthur informs him, making him laugh.

“You too." Merlin shoots back, eyeing Arthur’s flushed and sweaty skin.

Arthur slides closer, wrapping his arm around Merlin’s stomach as they cuddle closer. "I love you, Merlin." He murmurs, pressing his red and swollen lips against Merlin’s sweaty forehead.

Merlin grins back lazily. "I love you too." Arthur closes his eyes as he relaxes completely beside him. Merlin almost thinks he's fallen asleep when his eyes open again, meeting his.

“Only two more months until you're officially my husband." He says softly. Merlin grins at him, kissing him languidly. 

“I can't wait to be Merlin Pendragon." He replies, just as softly, making his fiancé break out into a dazzling grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed this a lot more once I turned it into a Merlin fic instead. If any of you enjoyed it enough to want a sequel of some sort, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do!! Until then, peace out, and all the love to you 🖤


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